Brassiere with pocket element

ABSTRACT

A brassiere with a pocket element is disclosed. The brassiere includes a left cup and a right cup formed of a fabric material dimensioned to contain a breast of a wearer. A pocket is formed by a pocket panel attached within at least one of the left cup and the right cup. A pocket opening extends along the top edge of the pocket and provides access to an interior compartment of the pocket. The pocket is configured to contain small personal items, such as an identification card, a credit card, currency, and the like. The pocket panel protects the sensitive skin areas of the wearer&#39;s breast from germs and bacteria that may be carried by the small personal items.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to women's apparel, and more particularlyto brassieres.

The prevalence of women's apparel that do not include pockets presentschallenges for women in need of carrying small items. While the purse isa fashion accessory utilized by many women, there are often situationswhere carrying a purse may be inconvenient or prohibitive.

Likewise, there are times when a woman may want to discretely carrysmall items on their person. In these circumstances, some women mayplace such items within the cup of their brassiere against their breast.While convenient, this is by no means secure as the item may slip out.Moreover, such placement can introduce germs and bacteria carried by theitem against the sensitive skin areas of the woman's breast.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved brassiere for thesanitary carriage of small items against a woman's breast.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a brassiere is disclosed. Thebrassier includes a left cup and a right cup formed of a fabricmaterial. The cups are dimensioned to contain a breast of a wearer. Eachcup has, a top edge, a bottom edge, a medial edge and a lateral edge.The medial edge is oriented along a medial centerline of the wearer'storso between the breasts and the lateral edge oriented along a lateralside of the wearer's torso when worn. A bridge element interconnects themedial edge of each of the left cup and the right cup. A lateral supportband interconnects the lateral edge of each of the left cup and theright cup and, the lateral support band dimensioned to extend around thewearer's torso. A pocket is formed by a pocket panel attached within atleast one of the left cup and the right cup. A pocket opening extendsalong the top edge, the opening providing access to an interiorcompartment of the pocket.

In some embodiments, a pocket closure extends along the top edge, thepocket closure operable to selectively open or close the pocket opening.

In some embodiments, the pocket panel overlays a majority of an innerface of the at least one of the left cup and the right cup.

In some embodiments, the pocket closure further comprises a cooperatingfastener. The cooperating fastener may include a zipper.

In yet other embodiments, the pocket is provided in each of the left cupand the right cup.

In other aspects of the invention, a brassiere cup is disclosed. Thebrassiere cup includes a cup having, a top edge, a bottom edge, a medialedge and a lateral edge. The cup is formed of a fabric materialdimensioned to contain a breast of a wearer. A pocket panel is attachedto an inner surface of the cup. The pocket panel defines a pocketopening that extends along the top edge of the cup. The opening providesaccess to an interior compartment of the pocket between the pocket paneland the cup.

In some embodiment, a pocket closure extends along the top edge of thecup and a top edge of the pocket panel, the pocket closure operable toselectively open or close the pocket opening.

In some embodiments, the pocket panel overlays a majority of the innersurface of the cup.

In other embodiments, the pocket closure includes a cooperatingfastener. The cooperating fastener may be a zipper.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the invention shown on the leftside;

FIG. 2 is a back perspective view of the invention shown on the leftside;

FIG. 3 is a partial section view taken along line 3-3 from FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section view taken along line 4-4 from FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section view taken along line 5-5 from FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section view similar to FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the invention shown on the rightside.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention include a pocketintegrally formed with a cup of a brassiere. The pocket is used tocontain small objects, such as an identification card, a credit card,currency, and the like. The pocket allows the objects to be securelyheld while avoiding contact of the item with the skin of the wearer'sbreast. Accordingly, the pocket provides a convenient, secure storagespace that protects the wearer from germs that may be carried by thesmall object.

As seen in the drawings of FIGS. 1-7, a non-limiting embodiment of thepresent invention includes a brassiere 10. The brassiere 10 is formedwith a left cup 12 and a right cup 12 formed of a fabric material. Thefabric material is dimensioned to contain a breast of a wearer. A pocketpouch 26 is formed between the fabric material of the cup 12 and apocket panel 24 that is attached to an inner surface of the cup 12.

Each cup 12 has a top edge, a bottom edge, a medial edge, and a lateraledge. The medial edge is oriented along a centerline of the wearer'storso between the breasts. The lateral edge oriented along a lateralside of the wearer's torso. The cup 12 and the brassiere 10 may beconstructed to various styles and sizes depending upon the wearer'spreference. For example, in some styles the cup 12 may include anunderwire 20. The brassiere 10 may also be made with a front closure, aback closure, or in a pullover sport style.

A bridge element 14 interconnects the medial edges of the left cup 12and the right cup 12. As with a conventional brassiere, the bridge 12may include a band of fabric, a cooperating hook and loop closure, asnap, and the like.

A lateral support band 16 interconnects the lateral edge of left cup 12and the right cup 12. The lateral support band 16 is dimensioned toextend around the wearer's torso. The lateral support band 16 may have acooperating fastener 22 oriented along the wearer's spinal area. Thecooperating fastener 22 may allow adjustment of the tension of thelateral support band 16 about the wearer's torso.

The brassiere 10 may also include a pair of shoulder support bands 18extending between the top end of the cup 12 and the lateral support band16 such that the shoulder support bands 18 attaches with the lateralsupport band proximal the wearer's shoulder blades.

As indicated previously, the pocket pouch 26 is formed from a pocketpanel 24 attached within at least one of the left cup 12 and the rightcup 12. A pocket opening extends along the top edge of the cup 12. Thepocket opening provides access to an interior compartment of the pocketpouch 26. A pocket closure 28 extends along the top edge of the cup 12.The pocket closure 28 is operable to selectively open or close thepocket opening. In embodiments with a single pocket pouch 26, theplacement of the pocket pouch 26 may be selected based on the wearer'shandedness, such that the pocket pouch 26 would be placed on the leftcup for a right-handed wearer and placed on the right cup for aleft-handed wearer.

In some embodiments, the pocket closure 28 is a zipper. The zipper 28spans the pocket opening and is joined to each of the cup 12 and thepocket panel 24 via a zipper tape 30. The zipper tape 30 has a pluralityof cooperating zipper teeth 32. The zipper 28 is operable by a zipperpull 34.

In the open condition, the user may insert a small object, such as anidentification card 36 or a credit card 36 within the pocket pouch. Theuser may also insert a change purse 38 into the interior compartment ofthe pocket pouch 26. In the close position the small objects 36, 38 aresecurely retained within the pocket pouch 26. The pocket panel 24protects the skin area of the user's breast from germs that may becarried on the objects 36, 38.

The brassier 10 or the cup 12 may be provide with a panel 40 forapplying a brand or a logo to the garment.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A brassiere, comprising: a left cup and a rightcup formed of a fabric material dimensioned to contain a breast of awearer, each of the left cup and the right cup having, a top edge, abottom edge, a medial edge and a lateral edge, the medial edge orientedalong a medial centerline of a wearer's torso between the breasts, andthe lateral edge oriented along a lateral side of the wearer's torso,when worn, a bridge element interconnecting the medial edge of each ofthe left cup and the right cup; a lateral support band interconnectingthe lateral edge of each of the left cup and the right cup, the lateralsupport band dimensioned to extend around the wearer's torso; and apocket formed by a pocket panel attached within at least one of the leftcup and the right cup, a pocket opening extends along the top edge, thepocket opening provides access to an interior compartment of the pocket.2. The brassiere of claim 1, further comprising: a pocket closureextending along the top edge, the pocket closure operable to selectivelyopen or close the pocket opening.
 3. The brassiere of claim 2, whereinthe pocket panel overlays a majority of an inner face of the at leastone of the left cup and the right cup.
 4. The brassiere of claim 3,wherein the pocket closure further comprises a cooperating fastener. 5.The brassiere of claim 4, wherein the cooperating fastener is a zipper.6. The brassiere of claim 5, wherein the pocket is provided in each ofthe left cup and the right cup.
 7. A brassiere cup, comprising: a cuphaving, a top edge, a bottom edge, a medial edge and a lateral edge, thecup formed of a fabric material dimensioned to contain a breast of awearer, a pocket panel attached to an inner surface of the cup, thepocket panel defining a pocket opening that extends along the top edgeof the cup, the pocket opening providing access to an interiorcompartment of the pocket between the pocket panel and the cup.
 8. Thebrassiere cup of claim 7, further comprising: a pocket closure extendingalong the top edge of the cup and a corresponding top edge of the pocketpanel, the pocket closure operable to selectively open or close thepocket opening.
 9. The brassiere cup of claim 8, wherein the pocketpanel overlays a majority of the inner surface of the cup.
 10. Thebrassiere cup of claim 9, wherein the pocket closure further comprises acooperating fastener.
 11. The brassiere cup of claim 10, wherein thecooperating fastener is a zipper.